Can a Sudden Drop in Temperature Make You Sick?
- Winter is coming early to much of the United States this year, with freezing temps arriving this week.
- Researchers say a quick drop to cold temperatures may make you more likely to get sick.
- But it’s not just because the weather is cooler. Viruses can live longer in colder temps.
A strong arctic cold front is sweeping across the United States this week, with some areas in the Midwest already experiencing record-breaking temperatures for this time of year.
As the temperatures hover in the single digits, it’s natural to suspect the risk of contracting the common cold or flu is more pertinent than ever.
Winter is, after all, the peak seasonTrusted Source for sore throats, coughs, and runny noses. And a sudden drop in temperature, like the ones we’re seeing in this cold front, makes it even more likely that we’ll get sick.
When temperatures quickly plummet and take humidity levels down with it, viruses tend to get stronger, and our immune system can take a hit.
According to health experts, however, it’s not cold weather itself that makes us sick — but lower temperatures do increase our risk for infections in a few ways.
“Data indicates that viruses survive and proliferate more effectively at colder temperatures, allowing them to spread and infect greater numbers of people in colder temperatures,” said Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
“Coupled with this, colder weather can blunt the immune response, increasing the chance that you may get sick,” he said.
Read full article HERE.
Written by Julia Ries-healthline
